Working Group Agrees on HIT Improvements

Recommendations of the heparin-induced
thrombocytopenia (HIT)
Working Group found that systemwide
improvements in the management
of HIT are necessary to improve
patient care. The group's main goals
were to identify the most prominent
gaps in HIT awareness to help enhance
diagnosis and treatment to facilitate
changes in HIT management that may
result in favorable patient outcomes. A
significant finding was that HIT is not
recognized in many institutions.

"Physicians and other health care
providers must regard HIT as a limb-and-life-threatening condition and
approach care of the HIT patient with
appropriate urgency,"said HIT Working
Group moderator Larry Rice, MD.
"We need a focused effort to increase
physician awareness and facilitate the
widespread adoption of aggressive HIT
treatment strategies."